SCUTTLEBUTT 1617 - July 2, 2004

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welcome, but save your bashing, whining and personal attacks for elsewhere.

ISAF RANKINGS
(Scuttlebutt has been known to poke fun at the ISAF rankings of the Olympic
classes, but for some people this is a serious matter. US Sailing Team
Coach Gary Bodie discusses this problem in a piece that we've posted on our
website. Following are a couple of excerpts from Bodie's paper.)

Most non-Europeans consider the ISAF Ranking System to be seriously flawed,
but nobody cared very much since it did not count for anything. More
sailors began to pay attention when ISAF decided to use the rankings for
entry quotas into the 2003 combined World Championships. The organizers of
Princess Sofia in Palma are now using the ISAF rankings to restrict the
entry numbers in that event.

The central inequality in the ISAF Ranking System is that it requires non
European athletes to compete in Europe in four or five events every year
during a four year Olympic quadrennium if they desire to maximize their
ranking, while a European sailor would only have to venture outside of
Europe once every four years. That works out to nineteen trips to Europe
for a non European, and one trip outside of Europe for a European in a four
year period.

Question: How many Grade 1 events are there outside of Europe where the Q
factor equals 1.5?
Answer: Miami OCR in Star class. Bacardi Cup in Star class if it retains
its Grade 1 status. There may be others, but I cannot find any.

Question: What is the Q factor, and why does it matter?
Answer: The Q factor ranges between 1.0 and 1.5 depending on the number of
top thirty ranked sailors that compete in the regatta in question. Assuming
Grade 1 status, a win in a Q=1.5 regatta is worth 675 points, and a win in
a Q=1.0 regatta is worth 450 points. The Q factor for World Championships
is automatically 1.5. The Q factor for Hyeres, Spa, Kiel and European
Championships is almost always 1.5.

Question: How many Grade 1 events are there in Europe where the Q factor
equals 1.5?
Answer: Usually four every year in almost every class; Hyeres, Spa, Kiel
and the European Championships.

Rober Scheidt, BRA, is ranked second (June 2004), but his ranking suffers
severely because he has only competed in two events (Kiel 03 and Hyeres 04)
in Europe during the past twelve months other than the World Championships.
His 2004 win at the Laser Central and South American Continental
Championships does not even make it onto his list of seven counting events
since the Q factor only equals 1.13. Robert is "giving away" 500 ranking
points.

RACING RULES OF SAILING
In advance of their worldwide date of implementation on January 1, 2005,
the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008 and ISAF Equipment Rules of
Sailing 2005-2008 have now been published online. The six month leadtime
gives ISAF Member National Authorities due time to prepare their own
versions of the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008 including the
relevant national prescriptions. The ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing 2005-2008
are effective worldwide on 1 January 2005

BUILDING A GOOD TEAM
Many people have wondered what it takes to put together a good team for
sailboat racing, whether at the club level for weeknight racing, on the
national or international level, or even at the America's Cup.
Surprisingly, the answer is the same at all levels; it's organization and
practice, and done correctly it results in a lot of fun for the entire
team. There are as many different ways of approaching your sailing
experience as there are boats to sail. On any boat that requires two or
more sailors, the crew organizer, (which may or may not be the owner), will
have to make decisions on how to put the team together.

First, determine at what level you are going to play and what some of the
goals for the team are, and make sure you and your crew are on the same
page. At one end of the scale, for the casual racer it's just fine to start
organizing on a Monday morning to go out for the following weekend's race
if you have a goal of just getting on the water with some friends. At the
other end of the scale; at the Olympics and America's Cup level, it's a
seven-day a week job, and there are many different levels in between.

Remember, if you don't have fun and you don't win, you lose twice. - Read
the complete article by Olympian and America's Cup veteran Brian Ledbetter
on the 48° North website: http://www.48north.com/feb_2004/team.htm

SPERRY TOP-SIDER MAKES A SPLASH AT SEA WORLD
Sperry Top-Sider, the conquistadors of the open seas have one more notch in
their belt of accolades. The Shamu trainers at Sea World, a.k.a., "The
Dream Team," have designated the Figawi Zip as their footwear
extraordinaire. The Figawi Zip is the latest in performance wear that
combines high-tech material with good old fashion ingenuity. Some of the
custom features of the Figawi Zip are molded rubber mudguard with drainage
ports, Aegis Microbial Shield kills bacteria that cause odor and
Non-Marking Super-Tack Rubber Outsole™ and Quadro-Grip Wave-Siping™ provide
superior wet or dry traction. -
http://www.sperrytopsider.com/mens_performance.asp

NEWS BRIEFS
* With the Pacific High still sitting squarely in the path of most of the
IBM Vic - Maui fleet, progress today was moderate for some, and just plain
slow for the less-fortunate. Dan Sinclair's Andrews 70 Renegade posted the
best mileage (201 miles). The rest of Division 1 reported runs around
150-170 miles. The leading yacht in Division 1 is Renegade, now less than
963 miles from Lahaina. Voodoo Child, Brian Duchin's J/130 leads Division 2
and the fleet on corrected time, while Steve Clark's Winds of Time leads
Division 3, and is lying second overall. - www.vicmaui.org/2004/index.php

* David Nottage's J-44 Kaimiloa, is credited with the overall lead in the
2070 mile West Marine Pacific Cup. A mixed bag of swift downwind Santa Cruz
50 and 52s along with a Wylie 43, Schumaker 50 and Bennet 56 left San
Francisco in Thursday's segment of the staggered start series. They are
expected to roar through the fleet within a couple of days. Friday is the
final starting day, featuring the swiftest yachts race has to offer
including the 140 foot super maxi, Mari Cha IV, considered to be the
fastest monohull yacht on any ocean. - www.vicmaui.org/2004

* Kemah, Texas - With 119 sailors from 12 countries racing in the
International Optimist Dinghy Association's NAs, it was Elijah Simmons who
gained gold for Bermuda for their third year in succession. U.S.A.
challenger Austen Anderson from Centerpoint Y.C. on Long Island NY took the
silver from Stephanie Roble (Lake Beulah Y.C. WI) and reigning champion
Sean Bouchard (BER). Among the girls Haruka Komiya (JPN) and reigning best
girl Susannah Pyatt (NZL) took the minor open medals ahead of North
American medallists Amanda Johnson (USA) and Eleanor Gardner (BER). -
http://www.optiworld.org/

* After an intense period assembling FRA 69, Le Défi Challenge have finally
had chance to retest its boat on the Valencian waters. In a newly repainted
red livery, the former bright-yellow boat was back on the water for the
first time since last year's campaign, sharing the Valencia's waters with
Luna Rossa Challenge. For the last three weeks the shore crew have been
preparing the boat for sailing and the French syndicate expected to be here
by mid-July. - Cup in Europe, www.cupineurope.com/LatestNews/2007LeDefiLN3.htm

* Not only will the K-Challenge French America's Cup syndicate take part in
the Louis Vuitton Acts 1, 2 & 3, - it has also scheduled a press conference
to introduce its crew and its design team at the Société Nautique de
Marseille on Wednesday, July 7th.

* Few fund raising events can boast such a large crowd who sail so many
miles on classic boats to reach the festivities as the International Yacht
Restoration School (IYRS) summer gala and auction. The festivities on
Friday, July 16 carries a theme of "Meet the Beetles" to celebrate the 40th
anniversary of the Beatles debut on the Ed Sullivan Show. But the "Beetles"
of the party title are something more integral to this school: a fleet of
12-foot wooden Beetle Cat sailboats designed in 1921, which were restored
by first-year students. - www.iyrs.org

* Sea Scouts Trevor Gurley and Corey Kemp from Newport Beach, California,
won the second annual William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup held at
the Massachusetts Maritime Academy sailing center. Skipper Gurley, 17, of
Newport Beach, and crewmate Kemp, 17, of Westminster, California defeated
28 other crews from around the world in winds from 7 to 15 knots. Second
place went to Andy Gallagher, 16, and Thomas Davies, 14 from Christchurch,
New Zealand while Eric Loss, 19, of Laguna Beach, California and Ryan
Shweitzer, 17, of San Juan Capistrano, California finished third. -
www.seascoutcup.org

* Southern Spars has been selected to provide the rig packages for the BMW
Oracle Racing team for the 2007 America's Cup challenge. Southern Spars
will be involved in the development and manufacture of masts, booms and
rigging packages for the team. This contract continues the relationship
Southern Spars had with the Oracle team in the 2003 series in Auckland.

* Good Reading - Sean McNeill has written an interesting profile of Peter
Gilmour's Pizza-La Sailing Team on the Swedish Match Tour website. The
story provides loads of insight as to why this team has done so well - why
they won the 2003-2004 tour before the final events on the tour had even
taken place. www.swedishmatchtour.com/default.asp?m=da&id=12085

*With no breeze in the morning the sailors at the U.S. Junior Women's
Double-handed Championship relaxed and ate an early lunch while waiting for
the wind to fill in. Around 2:00 pm, the breeze filled in from the South.
The winds blew consistently over 10 knots and trapezes were used for the
first time. Standings after five races: 1. Roberta Steele/ Meredith
Nordhem, 13; 2. Rebecca Dellenbaugh/ Keisha Pearson, 24; 3. Mandy Sackett/
Ryanne Gallagher, 31. www.ussailing.org/idalewis/2004/dailyupdate/index.asp

INDEPENDENCE DAY
The entire staff of Scuttlebutt plans to celebrate the Independence Day
holiday so there will be no issue on Monday. Readers eager to start their
holiday early should go to: http://www.njagyouth.org/liberty.htm. It's
pretty amazing ... and rapid mouse clicks only add to the fun!

DID YOU KNOW…?
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about Mara'amu being the Southeasterly Tradewinds of French Polynesia? Did
you also know they're the names of the best high performance sailing boots
available? Handmade by Aigle from Caoutchouc, natural latex from Hevea
plantations in Southeast Asia, their material's molecular structure makes
them hardwearing, extremely tear resistant, extraordinarily comfortable as
well as shock-absorbent and supple while always retaining their elasticity
even in extreme cold. Check out the warm neoprene-lined Bora and the cool
lace-up Maramu available at Annapolis Performance Sailing…
http://www.apsltd.com/scuttlebutt

LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com)
(Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be
edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. This is not a chat room nor a
bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best
shot and don't whine if others disagree.)

* From Robert J. Moniz, Team Excalibur Yacht Racing (In response to Jervis
Tilly's rules question about leeward gates in 'Butt 1915): The situation
described and the proposed situation are really quite simple. Rule 18.1
states "Rule 18 applies when boats are about to round or pass a mark that
they a required to leave on the same side..." The "left" boat wants to
leave the "right" mark to starboard, the "right" boat wants to leave the
"left" mark to port. Therefore, Rule 18 does not apply. Accordingly, Rule
11 applies and windward must keep clear. So, the original logic used was
correct. If the boats were on opposite tacks, Rule 10 would then apply, and
port tack would have to keep clear.

* From Bruce Thompson (re leeward gates): I'd start with the basic
principal of stand-on and give-way boats from IRPCAS (see Rule 16.1). The
right of way boat makes the de facto choice of "the mark" for both by her
choice of heading. For two port tack boats, it is the left mark. For two
starboard tack or opposite tack boats, it is the right. The desires of
either boat are immaterial, only their obligations count. If the right of
way boat wants to change marks, she jibes away. If the give-way boat wants
to change marks, she slows and passes astern.

As to repositioning marks, the most common cause of out-of-place marks is
being dragged by a competitor. The RC has full authority to re-position. By
extension, they can square a gate. A competitor would be foolhardy to
challenge the authority of the PRO, the designated executive of the
organizing authority! And he would be hard pressed to demonstrate material
prejudice. Just deal with it.

Based on my experience, I'd caution against going before some judges. Their
touchy feely decisions could start with the fact that a gate less than four
boat lengths wide is too narrow. That constitutes a mistake by the RC,
which materially prejudices all competitors. Therefore, the race should be
abandoned and re-sailed under Rule 62.1(a) and 64.2.

* From Bruce Miller (re John Wade \Ryan Hamm comments about good skippers):
Back when I was racing Snipes on Lake Merritt (Oakland, CA) our fleet would
hold a "trade boat"series. After the first race, the winning skipper would
trade boats with the last place, 2nd. with next to last, etc. This exchange
would go on for as many races as needed for each skipper to sail each boat
once. This was a great benefit to the lower level skipper. They had a
chance to sail a well setup boat and learn what they could do to their
boat. At the end of the day, there was a lot of discussions among the all
the crews. This was definitely more educational that cruising the parking
lot checking out the competition.

* From John J. Ford: After reading Ralph Taylor's article on the
yacht-versus-ship debate, I was reminded of an old salt once telling me
that a yacht can transported on a ship but a ship cannot be transported on
a yacht.

* From John T. Porter: According to the US Navy, which I was once a part
of, a "surface" ship is a vessel in excess of 250 ft in length. Anything
under that was referred to as a "boat."

* From Matt Cohen: Even though they are trying to limit the number of
competitors in the Olympics, Match racing and eventually Team Racing would
be a great way to increase the spectator aspect of our sport. In the short
course Team Race of the Wilson Trophy (UK) and the Worlds, there are
numerous situations where you have a Smarty Jones, the favorite, leading
down the homestretch, and then the underdog comes back for the win.

* From John de Regt: I think sailboat racing is seen through the eyes of
the beholder, and it changes as the years pass. When young and racing on
someone else's boat, it is a gas, and we want more. We don't care about
wet, cold, frustrated, since the thrills are great. When we get our first
boat, we learn about getting good crew, scheduling, buying new sails and
gear, and the thrill of driving and winning (sometimes). This point can be
a fork in the road, as some people keep going and get bigger, faster, more
complicated racing boats, and others go cruising. I think sailing is alive
and well, it's just changing.

* From Seth A. Radow: On boats, "Use Tax" is charged by California's taxing
authority ... not "Sales Tax". These taxes are essentially identical but
the Use Tax is charged when Sales Tax cannot. California's taxing authority
has its own racket going with taxation of boat owners. California boat
owners not only have to pay Use Tax on the purchase price of the boats they
purchase (unless they qualify for the 90 day exclusion), but they also have
to pay an annual Property Tax on those same boats. Even more egregious,
California boat owners also have to pay Property Tax on the amount of the
Use Tax whether or not they actually pay the Use Tax.

California should determine whether or not boats are "real property".
California boat owners would likely be comfortable paying one of the two
taxes but certainly not both. If a boat is real property, like a home or
condo, then Property Tax should apply. If the boat is simply property, like
a car or truck then Use Tax should apply. To charge both taxes to boat
owners is simply amiss and to charge Property Tax on the Use Tax may, in
fact, be illegal. I'm not sure any boat owner feels bad for the State of
California for its 90-day exclusion Use Tax. I understand that if
legislation passes to eliminate the 90 day exclusion it is likely that the
issue of both taxes could be contested in California courts.

* From James Johnson Has anyone read the paramilitary SIs for Athens.
Suggest you read SI 12.5 Any sailor who is recorded as OCS and doesn't
return is scored DNF and No Drop, and No chance for Redress. So a sailor
who accidentally mis-times his start or who is nudged over the line a split
second early and doesn't realize it can be blown out of the race. That is
equivalent to a second penalty under RRS 42 Pumping or to a serious DSQ
with no drop for unfair sailing. What incompetent Race Management!! I
thought isaf had a few decent Course Representatives there to ensure that
OCS was fair. Well that is Not Fair.

* From Don Goyette: Kudos and thanks to Outdoor Life Network and sponsor
UBS for the terrific coverage of the match racing in Newport, RI. And to
Gary, Peter, Dawn and Richard for their commentary. UBS will certainly gain
customers through this sponsorship and I hope other advertisers will jump on.

THE CURMUDGEON'S COUNSEL
Rather than call someone as an 'airhead,' consider using the phrase
'reality impaired.'